Time for a Spiritual Evaluation

Greetings Family,Did you make any new year's resolutions? How are you doing with them? We are almost a quarter of the way through this year, 2011 - and I don't want to make you feel bad, or anything, but...it really is important to do an evaluation once in a while to see if we are still moving in the right direction. Did you set any spiritual goals for yourself? In January our Pastor gave us a list of questions to get us thinking about some spiritual goals for 2011. He is always looking out for our spiritual health - and watching over the care and feeding of our souls. That is a huge responsibility, and we should all be keeping our church leadership in prayer. The world has its own set of goals and priorities, and they vary greatly from those belonging to the children of the Most High God.The following journal entry was written on the very last day of the end of the first decade of this millennium."Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy go on in being made filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; and let the holy go on in being made holy. Look! I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last; the Beginning and the End."Revelation 22:11-13

The Lord is coming quickly. It may be even today. I remember the verse found in various places thorough out the Bible- "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."Today - right now, in this moment. Do not wait. Delayed obedience may result in loss.Delay allows the enemy time to speak sweet -sounding logical lies.

It is true - the words of the Lord are indeed being fulfilled even this day. The unrighteous are performing deeds of unrighteousness. The filthy are reveling in their filth. They may not be aware of it, but they are doing just what the Lord said they would do. Their end is swift and sure.Their hardened hearts see only today. They choose to ignore the fact that Jesus will come quickly.They have bought into Satan's self-gratifying lies. They believe they are free from the confines of God's rules, but the truth is that they are the ones in bondage. The reality will be apparent to them one day. The hardened heart will one day melt in fear before the Holy Awesome King. But for today, they walk the path of their choosing- the broad road that leads to destruction. The Lord said it was going to be that way.

The ones who were made righteous through the shed blood of the Savior will also continue on. They will grow in the roles the Lord hand picked for them. Their future is also certain, and the narrow and unpopular path leads to a glorious place, and will bring glory to the One who deserves it all - the Lord Jesus Christ.Their joy at the end of the journey will be unparalleled. The rewards will be greater than our wildest imaginings.Jesus is coming quickly and I do not want to be ashamed. I want to honor Him with my whole being, in all I say, in all I do, in my thought life and attitude.Like David, I want to say," Teach me your way O Lord and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I praise you O Lord my God, with all my heart. I will glorify your name forever."Psalm 86-:11-12

That is what I wanted to say. Be encouraged this week as you continue on the narrow road.